Clean water, clear expectations: Government unveils biggest overhaul in a generation
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· A new Chief
Engineer to bring technical expertise to
new regulator, ending days of water companies marking
their own homework · New
‘MOT' checks on
water infrastructure to stop water company
assets being left to
crumble and powers for regulator
to intervene early where failures...Request free trial
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A
· New
‘MOT' checks on
water · Wider rollout of smart meters and mandatory efficiency labels on items like dishwashers to bring savings of over £125 million on water and energy bills over the next decade
A new
For the first time in two decades,
The new regulator These reforms put prevention first, requiring companies and bosses to plan for the long-term. Where companies fall short, a new Performance Improvement Regime will give the regulator the power to act fast and fix failures so that underperforming water companies recover faster, protecting customers and the environment and giving stability to investors. At the same time, a roll-out of smart metering and mandatory efficiency labels on items like dishwashers and washing machines will help households monitor their water use and cut costs – delivering savings of over £125 million on water and energy bills over the next decade. Building on last year's plastic wet wipes ban, the White Paper prioritises pre-pipe solutions that tackle the root causes of pollution through sustainable drainage, rainwater management, and cracking down on sewer misuse. Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said: “These are once-in-a-generation reforms for our water system - tough oversight, real accountability, and no more excuses. “Water companies will have nowhere to hide from poor performance, customers will get the service they deserve, and investors will see a system built for the future. “This builds on the tough action we've already delivered, from record investment to banning unfair bonuses.” Dedicated supervisory teams for each water company will replace the current one-size-fits-all approach, giving the new single regulator a thorough understanding of how each company operates – and the ability to intervene before problems take hold.
Stronger
This stronger,
Greater transparency and tough regulation set out in today's
White
Paper
This
builds A 2026 Transition Plan will set out the path to this new system, and a new water reform bill will bring forward the legislation needed enable the system to take effect. Backed by £104 billion of private investment over five years, this shift towards proactive maintenance of water company assets will fix failing infrastructure, end mismanagement, and build a water system that puts customers first – protecting household bills while attracting investment to secure the sector for the long-term.
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